Oscillating actuating means for mining heads of ripper miner



Nov. 25, 1969 M. G. CARLSON OSCILLATING A CTUATI NG MEANS FOR MINING-HEADS OF RIPPER MINER Filed Nov. 7, 1967 Q2 ZMMO F R O T N E V W Melvin (3.. Carlson Fi- B ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 299-71 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Mining machine having a pair of rotary mining heads which are oscillatably movable toward and from each other in horizontal planes. An individual hydraulic cylinder for each mining head, forms the power means for oscillatably moving the mining heads toward and from each other. The circuit to the hydraulic cylinders includes a sensing valve associated with each mining head, which senses the end of oscillatory movements of the mining heads and reverse the oscillatory forces to the mining heads. A response delay valve is provided to hold the mining head which reaches the end of its oscillatory movement in an outward direction first, in a fixed position until the other mining head reaches the end of its oscillatory movement in an outward direction. Both mining heads reverse their directions simultaneously at the outer ends of their paths of travel, and any deviations in synchronization of the mining heads, caused by hard inclusions in the mine face are corrected at the end of each outward oscillatory stroke of each mining head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Ripper types of continuous miners having a pair of sidewise oscillating mining heads, rotating about horizontal axes have heretofore been oscillatably driven by hydraulic cylinders to mine out a complete working place as fed from the roof to the floor of the mine. Where the mining heads are oscillatably driven by individual hydraulic cylinders, the heads frequently come out of phase, as one or the other head encounters a hard spot in the mine face. Efforts have been made to keep the mining heads in phase which operate on the principle of moving the two control valves to neutral positions to stall the two mining heads at the same time or to synchronize the speed of one mining head to the speed of the other mining head to insure that the oscillating mining heads will not be thrown out of phase.

Such systems, however, have been unduly complicated and have resulted in an increase in mining time particularly where there is a tendency for One head to stall, as when encountering a hard inclusion in the mine face.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS The operating and control means of the present invention cures the foregoing deficiencies by only bringing the mining heads into phase at the outer ends of their strokes, and by providing a delay in the reversal of the first mining head to reach the outer end of its stroke, until the other mining head reaches the outer end of its stroke.

3,480,328 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 A principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a novel and improved control system for oscillatably moving the mining heads of a continuous miner, in which a delay in reversal of one mining head is provided, which is effective only when the two mining heads are out of phase, to bringthe mining heads into phase at the outer ends of the oscillating strokes thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved oscillating head ripper type of continuous mining machine, in which hydraulic cylinders oscillatably move the mining heads in opposite directions, having a simplified form of control system arranged with a view toward bringing the mining heads into phase in a simple and efficient manner.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view, diagrammatically illustrating the oscillating means and hydraulic circuit for the mining heads of a continuous mining machine; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary detail view looking substantially along line II-II of FIGURE 1 and illustrating the operating means for one of the valves, effecting reversal in travel of the mining heads.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGURE 1 of the drawings, I have diagrammatically shown the forward end portion of a continuous mining machine of the ripper type having two rotatably driven oscillatably movable mining heads 10, mounted on parallelogram linkage supports 11, for oscillatable movement across the forward end of a boom 12, extending in advance of a main frame (not shown) of the machine. The boom 12 is elevated by hydraulic jacks (not shown) about an axis extending transversely of the machine, to position the mining heads 10 along the roof in position to be sumped into the working face of the mine by continuous traction devices (not shown) supporting the main frame of the machine and tramming the machine about the mine.

The mining heads, the support and the drive means for rotatably driving the mining heads as well as the parallelogram linkage supports for the mining heads are similar to those shown and described in an application Ser. No. 606,646, filed by Gustaf Albert Marberg on Jan. 3, 1967, and entitled Oscillating Cutter Ripper Miner, so need not herein be shown or described further.

Outward movement of the mining heads is limited by stops 14, which may be adjustably mounted on the boom arm 12, in accordance with the width of the working place to be mined.

Each mining head 10 is oscillatably driven by an individual double acting hydraulic cylinder 15 having a piston 16 therein, having a piston rod 17 extending from each end of said piston and extensible from opposite ends of the cylinder 15. The forward end of the piston rod 17 is pivotally connected to a connector ear 19 of a link of the parallelogram link-age support 11, on a pivot pin 19. Each cylinder is also trunnioned intermediate its ends to the boom arm on trunnion pins 20 extending generally parallel to the axes of the pivots for the parallel linkage arrangements. The rear or inner end of the piston rod 17 has an actuator bracket 21 mounted thereon and retained thereto as by a nut 22. The actuator bracket 21 extends laterally inwardly of the head end of the cylinder 15, and has a right angled portion 25 extending along the side wall of the cylinder and spaced therefrom. Longitudinally spaced actuator lugs 26 and 27 extend from the right angled portion 25 generally toward a rotatable pilot valve 29. The lugs 26 and 27, as shown in FIGURE 2, are in different planes to position the lug 26 to engage an actuator arm 30 during the forward stroke of the piston rod 17 and to position the lug 27 to engage an actuator arm 31 during the return stroke of the piston rod 17. The actuator arms 30 and 31 extend radially of a cap 32 spaced above the housing for the valve 29 and having operative connection with a rotary valve member 33 rotatably carried within the valve housing.

The valves 29 are pilot valves and serve to supply pilot fluid at a lower pressure than operating pressure to operate pilot operated four-way valves 36, 36, one of said valves being provided for each hydraulic cylinder 15. The valves 36, 36 are diagrammatically shown as being conventional pilot operated four-way valves, which when in one position, supply fluid under pressure to a pressure line 37 connected with a port 39 in the cylinder and to release fluid from a port 40 and a pressure line 41 leading from said port. When the valve 36 is in its other position, pressure will be supplied to the cylinder 15 through the pressure line 41 and released from a port 39 through the pressure line 37.

A source of supply of fluid under pressure is shown as comprising a fluid storage tank 43 connected with a high pressure pump 44 through an intake line 45. A pilot intake line 46 also leads from the fluid storage tank 43 to an auxiliary pump 47, supplying fluid at a lower pilot pressure to the pilot valves 29, 29 through a pilot line 48. The pilot line 48 also supplies pilot pressure to a pilot operator 54 to operate a two-way pilot operated valve 49.

The valve 49 is connected with the pump 44 through a pressure line 50 and is connected at its output end with a flow divider valve 51 through a pressure line 52. The flow divider 51 may be a conventional form of pressure compensated valve, and divides the flow from the pump 44 to flow equally to the two pilot operated four-way valves 36, 36 through pressure lines 53, 53. Since this flow divider valve is conventional and forms no part of the invention except to assure than an equal flow of fluid will be supplied to each four-way valve 36, the valve need not be shown or described further.

As pilot pressure is relieved from the pilot operator 54 for the two-way valve 49, the valve is shifted by a spring 55 to shut off the flow of fluid to the valves 36 and to return fluid to tank through a return line 56.

Relief valves 59 and 60 are connected with the respective pressure lines 50 and 48, on the output sides of the respective pumps 44 and 47, to return fluid to the storage tank 43 through a return line 61 The pilot pressure line 48 is connected with a manually operated valve 61, operable to supply fluid under pilot pressure to a pilot line 62, when the valve is in an on position and to return pilot fluid to tank through a return line 61 when the valve is in an off position.

Each pilot valve 29 has a pressure input port 63, a pressure output port 64, and a return port 65. The return ports 65 are connected with the return line 56 through lines 66. The pressure output ports 64 are connected with opposite ends of a shuttle valve 67 through pressure lines 69. The shuttle valve 67 is diagrammatically shown as a ball type of valve having a ball 70 therein, blocking the flow of fluid from the low pressure end of the valve. A pressure line 71 leads from the shuttle valve 67 and has connection with pilot operators 72 for the four-way valves 36, to supply pilot pressure to simultaneously operate said valves to supply fluid under pressure to the pressure lines 41 and ports 40 in the cylinders 15 and effect outward movement of the mining heads 10 toward the ribs of the working place of the mine. Upon the release of pressure in the pressure line 71, as when the pilot valves 29 are in their pilot fluid return positions, the springs 73 will operate the four-way valves 36 to supply fluid under pressure to the forward ends of the cylinders 15 through the pressure lines 37 and ports 39, and to release fluid from the opposite ends of said cylinders through the ports 40 and lines 41.

A manually operable rotary valve 75 is provided in the pilot pressure line 62 downstream of the pilot operator 54, to block the flow of fluid under pressure to the pilot valves 29, and to return fluid flowing to said pilot valves back to tank through a return line 76. The valve 75, however, holds pressure in the pilot operator 54 and holds the valve 49 open, when returning fluid to tank. The valve 75 serves as a manually operable control valve to retract the two mining heads, as when either or both mining heads stall, due to the encountering of sulfur balls or other hard inclusions. As the valve 75 is turned by hand to return fluid to tank, pressure will be relieved from the actuators 72, and the springs 73 will shift the valves 36, to supply fluid under pressure to the pressure lines 37 and ports 39, to effect movement of the mining heads towards each other.

During operation of the mining machine, assuming the mining heads are rotatably driven and positioned along the roof of the mine, the valve 61 is manually operated to supply fluid under pressure to the two pilot valves 29 and to the pilot operator for opening the valve 49. The two mining heads will then be oscillatably driven. The continuous traction tread devices of the machine may then sump the mining heads into the working face of the mine along the roof in a conventional manner. During oscillation of the mining heads and as the mining heads reach their outermost positions of travel, the actuator lugs 26 engage the arms 30 and turn the valves 29 to release the flow of fluid under pilot pressure to the shuttle valve 67 and to return pilot fluid to tank through the return lines 66. As pressure is relieved from the shuttle valve 67 and pressure line 71, the springs 73 will move the four-way valves 36 into position to supply fluid under pressure through the pressure lines 37 and ports 39 and move the mining heads 10 inwardly toward each other. Should inward movement of one mining head be retarded, the other mining head will continue on its inward stroke independently of the delayed mining head.

As the mining heads 10 reach the inner ends of their strokes, the actuator lugs 27 will engage the levers 31 of the pilot valves 29 and move said pilot valves into position to supply fluid under pressure through the shuttle valve 67 and pilot pressure line 71 t0 the pilot actuators 72 for the valves 36. This will position said valves to supply fiuid under pressure through the pressure lines 41 and ports 40 and effect movement of the mining heads 10 outwardly toward opposite ribs of the working place.

Oscillating movement of the two mining heads is continued as the boom 12 is lowered until the entire working face has been mined. The valve 61 is then turned to its off position to return pilot fluid to tank through the pilot line 61*. This valve will relieve pressure from the pilot line 62 and the spring 54 will move the valve 49 into its off position to return fluid from the pressure line 50 to tank.

If either mining head should encounter a hard inclusion in the mine face, as the mining heads are moving outwardly, travel of the mining head encountering the hard inclusion will be delayed. The other mining head will then continue to the outer end of its stroke. At this position the actuator lug 26 will turn the valve 29 in position to return fluid to tank 43. The pilot valve 29 of the stalled mining head, however, will remain in its open position and pressure in the pressure line 69 will move the ball 70 of the shuttle valve 67 in position to block the release of fluid under pressure through the open pilot valve. This will supply pressure to hold the one mining head at the end of its stroke, and to continue operation of the second mining head until it reaches the end of its stroke. As the lagging mining head reaches the end of its stroke, its associated pilot valve 29 will be turned to its off position, to return pilot fluid to tank through the return line 66. The spring 73 will then operate the four-way valves 36 to supply fluid under pressure to the pressure lines 37 and ports 39 to move the two mining heads inwardly toward each other in timed relation with respect to each other.

The foregoing circuit, therefore, provides a simple means for maintaining the two mining heads in phase by bringing the mining heads into the proper phase relation with respect to each other at the outer ends of the strokes of the mining beads by holding a leading mining head at the outer end of its stroke until the lagging mining head reaches the extreme end of its stroke. This assures that the mining heads are always in phase as they start their inward travel. It further reduces the power requirements for mining and simplifies the control system for synchronizing the two mining heads.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mining machine having a frame,

two rotary mining heads spaced in advance of said frame,

mounting means at the forward end of said frame,

mounting said mining heads for sidewise oscillatable movement toward and away from each other,

separate fluid pressure operated oscillatory drive means for said mining heads oscillatably moving said mining heads. toward and from each other,

a position sensor means for each of said mining heads,

arranged to control the supply of fluid under pressure to each of said oscillatory drive means to reverse the direction of sidewise movement of each mining head at preselected points,

fluid pressure operated delay means controlled by operation of said position sensor means to effect a delay in the response to the position sensor means, to hold a first of said mining heads in a preselected position until a second mining head arrives at a corresponding preselected position, to synchronize the mining heads in their oscillatory movements.

2. A mining machine in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the position sensor means comprises an individual valve for each mining head and operated by said oscillatory drive means, to control operation of said oscillatory drive means, and

wherein the delay means delays the reversal of said oscillatory drive means until both of said valves are operatively moved by the oscillatory drive means to the same positions.

3. A mining machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein the delay means is a shuttle valve having fluid pressure connection with each of said valves and effecting the supply of fluid under pressure to each of said oscillatory drive means to operate said oscillatory drive means in the same direction as one of said valves is in a closed position and until the other valve is moved into a closed position.

4. A mining machine in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the oscillatory drive means comprises an individual double acting hydraulic cylinder and piston operatively connected with each of said mounting means, for oscillatably moving said mounting means and the mining heads mounted thereon,

wherein an individual four-way pilot operated valve is provided for each cylinder and piston, to alternately supply fluid to opposite ends of said cylinders to effectoscillatory movement of said mining heads in opposite directions,

wherein the sensing means comprises a pilot valve for controlling operation of each pilot operated valve, movable into open and closed positions by oscillatory movement of said mining heads at opposite ends of the strokes thereof, and supplying and releasing pilot fluid to and from said four-way valves to effect alternate operation thereof, and wherein the time delay means has connection with each of said pilot valves and is effective to continue the supply of fluid under pressure to each of said four-way valves as one pilot valve is moved to its closed position and until the opposite pilot valve is moved into its closed position. 5. A mining machine in accordance with claim 4, wherein the time delay means comprises a shuttle valve connected in the pilot fluid supply lines for each of said four-way pilot operated valves,

wherein thesupply of pressure from one of said pilot valves to said shuttle valve maintains the supply of fluid under pressure to maintain said four-way valves in position to supply fluid under pressure to said cylinders to move both of said mining heads to the extreme outer ends of their strokes.

6. A mining machine in accordance with claim 4,

wherein the double acting hydraulic cylinders are trunnioned on said boom arms and have piston rods extensible from opposite ends thereof, wherein the forward ends of said piston rods have operative connection with said mounting means, and

wherein the rear ends of said piston rods have actuator means thereon shifting said pilot valves into pilot pressure supplying and pilot pressure release positions at opposite ends of the strokes of said cylinders and pistons.

7. In a mining machine having a frame,

two rotary mining heads spaced in advance of said frame,

mounting means at the forward end of said frame,

mounting said mining heads on said frame for sidewise oscillatable movement toward and from each ther,

an individual double acting hydraulic cylinder and pistol for each mounting means, trunnioned on said frame and having operative connection with an associated mounting means,

an individual pilot operated valve for each hydraulic cylinder, alternately supplying fluid under pressure to opposite ends thereof,

a high pressure supply line having a fluid connection with each pilot operated valve,

an individual pilot valve for each pilot operated valve,

operating means operated by operation of said cylinders and pistons for operating said pilot valves at opposite ends of the strokes of said pistons,

a pilot pressure supply line for supplying fluid under pilot pressure to said pilot valves,

pilot pressure lines leading from said pilot valves to said pilot operated valves, to operate said pilot operated valves to move into position to supply fluid under pressure to said mining heads to move said mining heads away from each other, towards the ribs of the working place, and

a shuttle valve connected in said pilot pressure lines and operable by pressure on one end of said shuttle valve to hold pressure on both of said pilot operated valves until both mining heads reach the outer ends of their strokes.

8. A mining machine in accordance. with claim 7, wherein a manually operable valve is provided in said pilot pressure supply line, and is operable to connect said pilot pressure supply line to release pressure from said pilot pressure supply line and from said pilot operated valves, to effect movement of said pilot operated valves to supply fluid under pressure to said cylinders to retractibly move said mining heads inwardly towards each other.

9. A mining machine in accordance with claim 7, wherein a pilot operated shut off valve is provided in said high pressure supply line upstream of said pilot operated valves,

wherein the pilot pressure supply line is connected with said pilot operated shut ofl? valve to hold said valve in position to supply fluid under pressure to said pilot operated valves, and

wherein a manually operable valve is provided in said pilot pressure supply line downstream of the point of connection of said pilot supply line to said pilot operated shut off valve, and is operable to release pilot pressure from said pilot valves and to hold pilot pressure on said pilot operated shut 01f valve,

to effect retractible movement of said mining heads inwardly towards each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

